In your student life, it is very common to have forgotten all the answers when the question paper comes in front of you or in some cases saying that nuclear fusion occurs in mitochondria because it is the powerhouse of the cell!

You will have a hard time explaining that the problem isn't your preparation of the subject but the utter anxiety and paranoia of not having done it correctly. If you feel connected with these situations, you might be facing 'Exam Anxiety' or 'Test Anxiety'. A little bit of nervousness can aid you in focusing and attempting the exams with your senses on alert.

It is counter-productive when all you can do is be nervous every time you are put in the limelight. Test/Exam Anxiety is related to performance anxiety and as the name suggests, it occurs when you are expected to execute a certain task in a certain way, in this case, performing well in the oral or written exams.

There are no specific set of symptoms related to it because each of us faces this. Some students, however, face the extremes of it and it affects their performance and in extension their confidence level decreases, they begin to doubt themselves and fear related to testing situations in daily life also creeps in. This is in complete contrast to what education stands for. Education is meant for a student's holistic development and exams are supposed to be a modicum of it.

If you also are tensed before an exam, rethink what the purpose of an exam is supposed to be. There are various techniques to calm yourself but to be quite honest, we all know that calmness, anxiety, tension -these are emotions, hence, cannot be switched on and off. Imagine you are sad about something and somebody consoles you, saying "Don't be sad." would you stop being sad? No, obviously not.

The best way to achieve calmness is to practice it daily. Now the question is how can one 'practice' it. For that, you can do breathing exercises as soon as you wake up, every day for five minutes, while thinking a happy memory or listening to your favorite tune.

There are various mobile apps and planners available that can help you visualize your daily tasks. At the end of each day, you can analyze the amount of work you are able to achieve and plan accordingly. Some students can multi-task efficiently while some need time to figure out things on their own before actually beginning them. Therefore, only you can be the best judge of yourself.

Don't be afraid of challenges, once you know your capacity, you will gradually learn to take challenges as creative opportunities. Initially, you should stick to the ones in compliance with your skill set, For example, if you can sing well, try singing at a pitch you generally avoid. Little achievements will boost your confidence and happiness.

Try to plan out your studies according to your time table. Usually, the academic calendar mentions the tentative schedule. According to the syllabus, chalk out a plan and be steady in following it. School curriculum can now be covered on various online platforms that provide quality content and doubt sessions.

Remember slow and steady wins the race and practice makes us perfect.

With the correct planning and right schedule, you can definitely get in control of your emotions and be productive. Not just exams, you will also excel in other fields as well.